Speaking at UFC 316 media day in Newark, N.J., former Bellator bantamweight champion Patchy Mix covered several points ahead of his first appearance in the octagon. He shared his perspective on finally making his UFC debut, his belief that defeating Mario Bautista will significantly advance his position in the bantamweight title chase, the positive influence of his relationship with UFC strawweight contender Tatiana Suarez on his career, and more.
Mix (20-1) was widely considered the top bantamweight competitor not signed to the UFC before he joined the promotion in May. He is stepping in as a substitute for the veteran contender Marlon Vera, who withdrew from the scheduled bout against Bautista for reasons not publicly disclosed. Since suffering his only professional defeat to Juan Archuleta in September 2020, Mix has compiled an impressive record of seven consecutive victories, including wins over notable fighters such as Kyoji Horiguchi, Sergio Pettis, and Raufeon Stots.
Mario Bautista (15-2) also enters Saturday`s fight riding a seven-fight winning streak. His most recent win was a split decision victory over Jose Aldo at UFC 307 in October of last year. Bautista is looking to capitalize on this opportunity to absorb Mix`s considerable momentum and solidify his own standing as a primary contender for the UFC bantamweight championship.
